This beautiful high and open plateau is famous as the home of some of the most beautiful villages in France, as the site of perhaps the world’s greatest modern viaduct, and as the centre for production of Roquefort cheese.
It is also the location of one of the great non-violent protests of the 20th century. For 10 years about 100 local farmers became pacifist activists to fight a government plan to seize their land for expansion of a military base. Others took up their cause, and tens of thousands of supporters joined the protests. Clever tactics, including probably the first procession of tractors on a protest march, and a flock of 40 sheep put to graze in the Champ de Mars in Paris, helped to keep the cause in the public eye. Eventually the government plan was abandoned, turning Larzac into a symbol of successful environmental resistance by country dwellers against pressure from the state. This tour takes in the cheese, the wine, the viaduct and the social history that makes the area so special.
Find out more about the fight for the Larzac here.
Four mountain bike stages will allow you to discover the most beautiful sites in Larzac, and the key points in the Fight for the Larzac. The route is circular, starting and finishing in Le Caylar, and while you ride, your luggage will be sent forward to the next inn. The tour can be either guided or self-guided.
The elevation gain in each stage is small – less than 600 metres- as the route is always between 700 metres and 850 metres above sea level. The roads vary greatly: from asphalted tracks with little or no vehicle traffic, to wide dirt tracks and narrow roads of medium difficulty. The technical difficulty of the route is limited to loose stones on some tracks or paths. However, participants must have an average level of mountain bike (MTB) riding. As far as your physical fitness is concerned, check the distance and the elevation gain of each stage to see if you can do such a ride.
You can make the trip either with your own bike or with a hired bike.
In the afternoon the participants and the guide will meet at the hotel in Le Caylar.
Tour briefing at the hotel and preparation of the bikes.
[EG = Elevation Gain]
41 km with 440 metres EG
During this stage, you will pass through La Couvertoirade, a former Templar commandery (commanderie in French). Its well-preserved walls, towers and streets take us back to the Middle Ages, which is why it is considered one of the most beautiful villages in France. The tour will visit this commandery on the third day.
We will also pass through the hameaux (hamlets) of Larzac. They are everywhere, small groups of houses scattered across the countryside where silence and solitude reign day and night.
At La Couvertoirade, you will see a lavogne. Lavognes are ponds dug into the ground to collect and store rainwater for livestock. The Larzac is a karst plateau, so all the water is filtered, there are no rivers or lakes.
After La Couvertoirade, we follow the old railway line from Sauclières to L’Hospitalet-du-Larzac for a few kilometres. Near Montredon we pass Les Homs, a farm occupied by a young couple in 1975 at the height of the tensions between the Larzac resistance and the French army.
Finally, we park the bike in Montredon, where José Bové, one of the key figures in the fight against the expansion of the military camp, still lives.
Marie Valentin will welcome you in her cosy gîte d’étape and prepare a delicious dinner for you.
36 km with 450 metres EG. (There is another version of 42 km with 550 metres EG)
This is the stage with the most sites linked to the Fight for the Larzac. In particular, we pass through the forbidden bergerie of La Blaquière, Combebren (where a teacher from Paris resisted the harassment of the army) and the Rajal-del-Gorp (a popular meeting place during the fight).
Between La Blaquière and Potensac, we cross an area full of chaos ruiniformes (chaos of rocks), one of them in the shape of a foot (called rocher du grand pied).
Near Potensac and Combebren, we cross the famous buissières, tunnels made of boxwood that once sheltered sheep and shepherds from the sun, wind and snow. They surrounded fields and connected hameaux and villages. In the 19th century, it was forbidden to cut down the boxwood because it took three centuries for the trees growing on either side of the path to meet above the path, creating a tunnel.
There will be views of the Millau bridge (a great work of modern engineering), the fortified farm of Les Brouzes, Lou Rouquet Blanc (a chaos ruiniforme – little brother of the Rajal-del-Gorp) and La Cavalerie, where we will spend the night.
The Cavalerie was built in 1154 by the Templars of the commandery Sainte-Eulalie de Cernon. However, it was the Order of the Hospital who fortified it in 1435.
46 km with 570 metres EG
On this day, we will visit the southwest of the plateau, an area not coveted by the army during the Fight.
A visit to the tower of Viala-du-Pas-de-Jaux, built in 1430, and the adjoining dwelling, built in 1315, is a must. The tower was built during the Hundred Years’ War to protect the inhabitants and animals of Viala. Its upper terrace offers an incredible view.
In 1150, the Lord of Tournemire ceded Viala-du-Pas-de-Jaux (then a scattered collection of farms) to the Templars. After the tragic end of the Templars in 1314 (Jacques de Molay, the last Templar master, was burnt at the stake), their property passed to the Order of the Hospital. The latter then decided to create a village.
As for the places involved in the Fight for the Larzac, we pass by Le Cun farm, and stop to see a lavogne just 400 metres from La Salvetat, before reaching La Couvertoirade.
After a well-deserved rest, a visit to this medieval jewel with an audio guide is a must. It was founded by the Templars in the 12th century and later extended by the Order of the Hospital, the future Knights of the Order of Malta. The surprisingly well-preserved ramparts (built in 1439 by the Knights of Malta) surround the only remaining Templar castle in France.
31 km with 400 metres EG
The highlight of the last stage is the crossing of the Ghilhaumard plateau. If, one day, you want to disappear, build a hut here and no one will find you. There is not even an hameau. This sub-plateau (part of the Larzac plateau) is surrounded by vertical walls on all sides, except on the eastern side. It used to be covered in beech woods, but now there are very few of these left due to grazing. It is listed by the French government as a natural site to be protected.
This stage (the shortest) ends at Le Caylar. This gives you plenty of time to return home the same day.
A: 1-4, Virginie Govignon OT LARZAC VALLEES; 5-6, Susana Suñer; 7-9, Virginie Govignon OT LARZAC VALLEES; 10, Govoyagephotos
[Click on each photo to see it in its original size]
A: 1, Susana Suñer; 3-7, Virginie Govignon OT LARZAC VALLEES; 8, Govoyagephotos
The Larzac by bike: a hotel and three gîtes d’étape await us
All overnight stays, except the first, are in gîtes d’étape. But what is a gîte d’étape? A gîte d’étape is a kind of hostel with dormitories. The number of beds per room is usually between four and six, but there are also rooms with two beds. The bathroom can be in the room, or somewhere on the same floor.
In the gîtes d’étape on our itinerary, the beds are already made with two sheets, a pillow, pillowcase and blankets, although you will need to bring your own basic toiletries. As your luggage will be transferred, you will not have to carry on this on your bike. .
The hotel at Le Caylar is a delight, and the owners are very welcoming. It is the most sophisticated accommodation in the Larzac by bike.
If you do not wish to share a room, you will have to pay a supplement. However, it is not possible to guarantee a single room in every inn. It all depends on the number of people in the group who request it and the number of other guests the gîte d’étape has that day.
To make the most of the excellent hospitality of the owners and the peace and quiet of the region, it is best to travel in April, May, June, September and October.
Only in Montredon will a picnic be prepared for us, as there is no shop at which to stock up. In the other inns, you will be able to buy what you need for the next day’s picnic.
At each accommodation, dinner and breakfast will be provided. Below are two photos of each accommodation:
There are still places available for the Larzac by bike tour – book now!
– 21-25 Sept. 2025
– 5-9 Oct. 2025
Price: Please contact with us by filling
this form
The price includes:
– Three nights in gîtes d’étape and one night in a hotel.
– Four dinners and four breakfasts. Picnic on the second day.
– Accident insurance while in the wilderness.
– Luggage transfer between accommodations.
– Mechanical assistance if you hire a local bike (*).
– Cycling guide, expert on French history throughout. For self-guided tours, contact us for more details.
The price does not include:
– Bike hire if you do not to bring your own (*).
– Mechanical assistance if you bring your own bike (**).
– Travel insurance.
– Cultural visits (Viala-du-Pas-de-Jaux, La Couvertoirade).
– Arrival and departure transfers (***).
Important information:
– The guide reserves the right to change the itinerary in the event of adverse weather conditions or other factors, in order to ensure the safety of the group.
– Equipment required for the Larzac by bike tour: request it via the contact form.
For a tailor-made trip:: let us know the dates that suit you by filling in
this form